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RECKLESS, Chapter 2
Chapter 2 The next morning, the sun came shimmering down through the window in the small single room where Victoria and Andrea slept, awakening them. Victoria got to her feet and began to roll up her mat for what felt like the ten thousandth time. Andrea sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. Victoria looked over and smiled at her best friend. "Good morning Andy." Victoria joked as she replaced her industrial outfit and cap. Andrea sighed and looked out the window. "Is it time to get going already?" She asked sleepily. Victoria laughed as she marched over and jumped onto the bed, bouncing Andrea right out. "Offf...Torri! What was that for?" Andrea asked, rubbing her behind. Victoria stood up and extended a hand, along with a warm grin. "It's already late morning and you still want to sleep? Such a lazy girl." Andrea reluctantly grabbed Victorias hand and hoisted herself up. "I'm not lazy, I'm just not used to all this crazy traveling ok? I'm supposed to be serving you tea and cookies and reading books in the grand library, not running around Albion like a bandit. What did you mean exactly last night when you said that you wanted to be an outlaw anyway?" Andrea asked. "I ment exactly what I said. Times are tough here, and Logan is going to soon realize just how tough." Victoria responded. "What do you mean?" Andrea asked as she herself began to dress in the Bowerstone Industrial uniform. "I mean, times are tough but they can also be treacherous. Logan has been asking for a rude kick from the throne for a while now, and if he keeps oppressing and starving the people of this country, he's going to get it-from me." Victoria spoke. "But I thought the whole reason that you ran away from Castle Fairfax was to avoid being the next regent, I don't understand." Andrea gave Victoria a funny look. Victoria just fetched the copper key from inside one of the many pockets of her industry uniform and unlocked the front door to the room. "I guess I've been thinking it over, and I might like the power. But anyway, it's all up in the air right now. I also would be just as happy being a bandit leader or a highwayman. But whatever happens happens I guess." The two girls emerged into daylight, and Daisy sprang upon Victoria instantly. "Hey girl, did you sleep ok?" Victoria asked Daisy in her fake man voice again. Daisy cocked her head but then barked a happy bark. Andrea rolled her eyes and then nudged Victoria. "You didn't ask me if I slept well..." Victoria laughed and patted Andrea's head. "Oh, I'm sorry Andy, did you sleep well old buddy?" Victoria mused again in her fake voice. Andrea brushed her hand away. "Quit it!" Victoria scampered away, laughing. Andrea watched her run off and couldn't help but smile. Victoria always had so much energy, and she took everything so lightly and carefree. It was no wonder to Andrea as to why Victoria had never felt at home back at Castle Fairfax. Andrea ran to catch up with Victoria, who was already returning the key to the innkeeper. "Ok, Andy, are ya already ta get a move on?" Victoria asked in her friend. " "Stop calling me Andy! Victoria, I'm tired and really starting to not want to be on this silly adventure anymore!" Andrea complained, not using her fake voice. Victoria quickly covered Andrea's mouth muttered harshly as a town guard gave the two an intrigued glance. "Ok, I won't call you that anymore. But don't blow my cover. If my brothers soldiers find me its all over. I know that you don't wanna travel anymore, but don't spoil it for me. If you want to got home, then that can be arranged." "Yes, that's what I want." The two girls then headed off back towards Mistpeak Valley. The air in the valley was crisp and cool as Victoria and Andrea took their first deep breaths of mountain air. Victoria breathed out all of her old air from Brightwall, before inhaling a deep breath of chilly Mistpeak air. "Why do you always do that?" "Do what?" "Exhale out like that, its weird. I always think that your choking or something." "I am simply getting all that Brightwall air out of my lungs so that I might fully enjoy air the way it was intended to be breathed. Fresh and clean, free of all that chimney smoke and stench of the peasants." " What does it matter what air is in your lungs anyway? What's the difference Torri?" Andrea asked. Victoria thought it was really annoying that her best friend always had so many questions for her. Victoria rolled her eyes before answering her. "That's the difference between you and I. Your a middle class snob who thinks all air is air, and that one can live a perfectly happy life being confined to a large home all their life, never even leaving the village. I on the other hand have a taste for adventure Andrea, and no, I don't believe that air is air. There is the air that thousands of people have breathed thousands of times over in their petty sad existences, and then there is the wild untamed air that only wild untamed beings like myself have breathed." Victoria explained. "Can we please talk about something else now? Other than air." Andrea asked. "Sure. Whats on your mind?" Andrea continued to walk side by side of Victoria, her boots made scuffing sounds as they crunched into the soft wet snow. "Well, first off, what exactly are you planning to do once I'm gone? I'm seriously worried that your going to get yourself killed." "I'll be fine Andrea. I should have known that life as an outlaw would be too much for a city girl like yourself. You didn't even play up your disguise very well back in Brightwall. That innkeeper knew that you were a woman. "He did? How could you tell?" Andrea asked defensively. Victoria chucked warmly. "Well for one thing, his eyes never left your chest." Andrea blushed wildly. "Men are such perverts!" She huffed. "I wouldn't dwell too much on it, your just a lousy actress. Besides, there was a reason that I was playing my male role so convincingly. I saw some posters of us." Victoria told her friend. Andrea stopped in her tracks and her blue eyes were wide with fear. "Us? Me as well?!" "Yes." "That's really really bad Torri, they think that I had something to do with your missing. They think that I kidnapped you don't they?" Andrea trembled, fighting back her tears. "No! For gosh sakes Andrea calm down. Logan has known for years about what a headstrong girl I am. They are looking for both of us, on separate posters too. Your parents must have made one up for you." "I miss them you know. I really want to go home." "Well I do have 10 gold left and that should be enough to get you to Millfields." Andrea reached out her hand and felt the remaining 10 gold trickle in to it. She looked up at Victoria. "Torri, but this is all you have left." "I know. But I have a few ideas about how to get some extra money. I'll be ok. Besides, its my fault for dragging you into this mess anyway."Victoria replyed as she stuffed her empty purse back into her pocket. "So what is your idea anyway?" Andrea asked curiously. Victoria leaned in closer. "There are some people that I am hoping will lend me a hand in that regard. I am going to go and talk to a bandit leader tomorrow Andrea. If I can impress him, he'll let me join up with the rest of his men, and then I can be free of Logan and the oppression he's been putting me through, forever." Victoria stated. "Or you'll just be dead. Are you crazy Victoria?! Bandits will kill you, they won't listen to a word you have to say. Lets just get some extra gold and both head back to Castle Fairfax, together. No one will be mad if we head home right now!" "I'm not going back there Andrea. I already told you. I would rather be killed by bandits by living my own life than be a princess under my older brothers thumb." "You can't be serious!" "Yeah well, I am. Here, I'm going to personally escort you to the monorail station and your going home." Victoria said, and she grabbed Andrea's wrist. Victoria started dragging her towards the Mistpeak Monorail, Andrea was fighting the whole way. Daisy watched the two girls with a sense of glee and she bounded up and down along side the two fighting friends, oblivious to the fact that they weren't in fact, playing. "Will you let me GO!" Andrea yelled, finally pulling her wrist free of Victoria's strong grasp, just in time to be standing outside of the monorail station. There was a man in a cheap vest and dirty slacks manning the post. "How many?" He asked in a scruffy voice. Victoria pushed Andrea forward. "One." Victoria spoke as she handed him the 10 gold. "And make sure she gets on the monorail too." Victoria snapped. The man just lazily took the gold and replaced it with a light yellow ticket. "Here ya go miss. Have a nice trip." The man replied with absolutely no emotion in his voice. Victoria grabbed Andrea again and dragged her inside the station. "Ok, here's the deal. Your going home now because you are obviously not ready to come on an adventure with me. You are going back to Millfields and from there, you are going to go straight to the nearest town guard, and tell him that you are Andrea Sealoski, and that you ran away from home and you want to see your mum and dad again. Got it?" Victoria asked. Andrea yelled again and pulled her hand free once more. Some of the other passengers began to look at the two girls a bit oddly. "No Victoria, I hope that you know that you just wasted your gold, because I am not going back home without you!" Andrea said. Victoria gave her a stern look. "People are going to think that I'm hurting you, and then there will be trouble. Is that what you want for me? More trouble?" "I thought that you wanted to be an outlaw." Andrea scoffed cooly. "Yes but not by the hand of my best friend. I care deeply for you Andrea, and whether you like it or not, you need to go home now, because it's just too dangerous for a girl like you." Andrea glared up at Victoria. "A girl like me?" Victoria gasped as she realized her words far too late. "Andrea..." Victoria offered. Andrea just turned away and started for the approaching monorail. Victoria reached out for her. "No Victoria. I'm leaving. A small weak, frail girl like me will only slow you down. Goodbye!" Andrea huffed as she handed her ticket to the engineer and headed through the bronze station gate. "No!" Without warning, Victoria leapt past the engineer and started aboard the monorail after Andrea. The engineer called for the man at the station entrance, and he came running. As the other man tried to grab Victoria and prevent her from illegally boarding the monorail, he grabbed hold of her long blonde ponytail, which hurt the young princess like crazy. Her reflexes took over, and Victoria pulled out her pistol and shot both of the men dead with only two bullets. The other passengers cried out and began to quickly rush off of the monorail. One of the women yelled out. "Run for your lives! It's a highwayman!" Victoria took a step back in disbelief. Andrea stood there too and watched the terrified passengers run off in blind fear. Victoria turned her eyes away from the gristly scene and to her friend. Andrea took another step back. "Victoria. What have you done?" Andrea whispered. Even Daisy looked up and Victoria, begging the same question. Victoria looked at Andrea again. "I-I don't know. I didn't mean to kill them, I just sorta snapped. Oh my god, what have I done?!" Victoria cried out. She had never killed someone before, and her actions both surprised and scared her. What shocked her more, was how accurately she had killed the men, without even aiming she had managed not one but two fatal shots. Victoria jumped aboard the monorail, whistling for Daisy to follow. "We have to leave this place, come on!" Andrea continued to stare at Victoria. "...You killed them. Maybe you do have what it takes to be an outlaw." Those were strange words coming from Andrea. Her tone was neither insulting nor upset. Rather amazed and impressed. "It was an accident. I may not be your conventional diva, but I love my hair and no one is gonna pull it under any circumstances." Victoria replied. Andrea plopped down onto one of the seats, and Daisy hopped up beside her. "So can you even drive this thing?" Victoria fiddled with the many knobs and switches. "I don't know, but I have to try. Anyways, aren't you upset that your best friend is now a cold-blooded murderer?" Andrea shook her head. "You didn't mean it. It was self-defense. I know that you're not a killer Torri. I'm your best friend." Victoria smiled over at Andrea. It was the first nice thing that she had heard from her in a week. This was the reason that they were such good friends. They had each others back and could bring each other up and out of every mess that came their way. Victora finally hit a blackish switch with her elbow, which prompted a roar from the back of the monorail. Then it started to head backwards, towards Millfields. Victoria scoffed."Well what do you know, it's an automatic." The monorail came to a screeching halt as it pulled into the Millfields station. Both Victoria and Andrea breathed a heavy sigh of relief as the monorail stopped. "I thought we weren't gonna make it there for a minute. This thing is sure built poorly." Victoria remarked as she stood up and stretched her back. The memory of her previous murders still shocked her. Not only had she killed two men, but she had little to no remorse for them. Andrea stood next, grabbing onto the side for support. "We made it." Andrea said happily as she petted Daisy. Andrea smiled at her best friend who was looking out the window of the monorail car. "Torri? Whats the matter? Are you still upset that you accidentally killed those people?" Andrea asked. Victoria shook her head. "No. They shouldn't have gotten in my way." She had a sinister darkness in her tone. Victoria turned and glared at Andrea. "I was just trying to apologize to you. If you hadn't stormed through that gate, those men would still be alive. I can't help it that I'm such a good shot now can I?" "I'm sorry that I caused you this much trouble. It just, you were trying to get rid of me. That hurt Torri." Andrea replied meekly. "To be quite blunt, I don't even ''want ''to be in Millfields right now. I only came because the Brightwall guards would have been on me in no time, courtesy of those freaked out villagers." Victoria added, looking back towards the window. "Don't apologize, it doesn't matter anymore anyway. Lets just get out of Millfields asap." Andrea nodded as Victoria stood up and pulled open the monorail door. She stepped out into the Millfields station, and Andrea and Daisy followed suit. Victoria looked around, surprised that there was no one in the station. "That's odd. I guess there aren't any people going to Mistpeak today." Victoria remarked, kicking a pebble as she paced the station. Andrea walked over to her. "Torri? What if someone told the guards about the murder. They'll be looking for you." Andrea remarked, slight worry in her voice. "Don't worry, I've got it handled. Follow me." Victoria rushed off towards the maintenance section of the monorail station. There were barrels and tools and old boxes lying everywhere. Steam spurted from the sides of the many machines in charge of making the monorail work properly. Victoria opened her trusty dark brown satchel and fished out Andrea's clothing from earlier. She handed Andrea her old clothes. "You said that you hated these uniforms anyway." Victoria instructed. Andrea graciously took her dress back and quickly undressed and redressed. Victoria turned her head and hummed a tune as she waited. She pawed through her bag, checking to see how short on supplies she really was. As she fiddled through the contents of the satchel, Andrea noticed the particular crimson scarf on the rebel princesses jeans. She knew that Victoria had tied it there. It had been on her pant leg for as long as Andrea could possibly remember, and yet it wasn't a part of the trousers. "Torri?" "Yeah?" "Well, I've been meaning to ask you, how come you have that old crimson rag tied to your jeans? Is it a bandit thing or something?" Andrea asked. Victoria looked away from Andrea. "It's not a bandit thing. It's a personal reason." She replied slowly. "What reason?" Andrea asked again, being a touch pushier than was like her. Victoria stuffed the clothing deep down into the recesses of the bag and pulled the leather strap taut. "They belonged to my father ok?" Victoria snapped. "Your...father? But I thought that you two never...you know, met?" Andrea spoke cautiously as to not upset her friend. "I'm not 100% sure they were actually his, but when I was 12, I found them in with my late mothers things. At the time they weren't rags. I ripped off those pieces of this exquisite crimson and gold suit. It had a cape with a gold chain and it looked like something that a noble would wear. I was young and I just assumed that it was part of my fathers outfit." "I thought that you hated him for abandoning you though?" Andrea asked. Victoria shook her head. "No. I know that Walter and Jasper hated him, but I never even met the man, and I feel that it is unfair to pass judgment on one that you have never even met." "That's very noble of you." Andrea added. Victoria frowned and shrugged. "I guess so." There was a moment of awkward silence before Andrea asked the fateful question. "So, do you want to meet him then someday?" Victoria looked up at her friend, a bit shocked by her forwardness. "Yes, I suppose I would. I have a lot of questions that I wanted to ask him. But for all I know, he could be dead by now, like my mom." "I know. But what if he wasn't dead? You could have a father!" Andrea piped up. Victoria started to walk out towards Millfeilds. "Possibly. Let's cross that bridge when we come to it." Daisy loped up beside her mistress and barked happily. Victoria patted the wolfdogs warm fur and then walked out of the station and into Millfields. Andrea ran to catch up to her. "Hey Torri! Not so fast!" Andrea panted. Victoria grabbed her best friends hand and pulled her along. "Oh come on, stop being so serious! This is fun!" Victoria let go and ran off into the open meadows of Millfields. The huge manors of all the wealthy citizens of Albion stood before her, and nobles were out and about, talking, laughing and exchanging fashion tips. Victoria hated it here, it reminded her of what she was. Whether she liked it or not she was a princess, and this was what she would have to become. She made a face at just the thought of being like these stuck up snobs. Andrea finally caught up to her and took in the picturesque view of the meadow. "Wow, I had forgotten how beautiful this place is!" Andrea exclaimed. Victoria stood behind her, her left hand still stroking Daisy's ear. "Yeah, it's a real sight. Come on, lets get you home."